Orbit Fab

Overview Orbit Fab is a U.S. in‑space refueling company developing the hardware, depots, and logistics to supply propellant to satellites and servicing vehicles across Earth orbits. Founded in 2018, the company’s goal is to establish a commercial fuel supply chain in space—enabling longer‑lived, more maneuverable spacecraft and new servicing markets. Orbit Fab is headquartered in Lafayette, Colorado, with an international office at the Harwell Space Campus in the United Kingdom. Products and Technology • RAFTI™ refueling port: The Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface is a flight‑qualified service valve designed for both launch‑site fueling and on‑orbit refueling. A single RAFTI can replace traditional fill‑and‑drain valves while adding an in‑space refueling option. The interface supports a wide range of storable propellants (e.g., hydrazine, HTP, xenon/krypton) and is engineered for long‑life operations from LEO to GEO. • GRIP™ docking/refueling nozzle: Active side of the refueling system used by Orbit Fab and partners on fuel shuttles and servicers to mate with customer‑installed RAFTI ports and transfer propellant. • Tankers and depots: Orbit Fab launched Tanker‑001 “Tenzing” in 2021 as a pathfinder fuel depot in low Earth orbit carrying high‑test peroxide propellant and a RAFTI port. Follow‑on hydrazine depots are planned for GEO to support U.S. government and commercial missions. • Propellant sales: Orbit Fab offers propellant as a service, including a published offering for hydrazine delivery in GEO. The company also works on xenon/krypton supply chains to support electric‑propulsion refueling. Programs and Customers (selected) • U.S. Department of Defense: Through the Defense Innovation Unit’s RAPIDS initiative, Orbit Fab is contracted for the first commercial in‑space fuel sale in GEO. The Space Force’s Tetra‑5 program is integrating RAFTI ports on small satellites for a refueling demonstration with a commercial depot, and the service has begun including refueling capability in future acquisition requirements. • Partnerships: Orbit Fab is teamed with Astroscale U.S. on a GEO refueling mission planned for the 2026 timeframe, combining an Orbit Fab depot with a commercial refueling servicer. The company has also announced collaborations with ClearSpace and others to pair depots with servicing vehicles. • Early ISS heritage: Prior to its depots, Orbit Fab demonstrated fluid transfer on orbit by supplying water to the International Space Station in 2019, validating key handling and safety processes for space‑based propellants. Facilities and Footprint • Headquarters and manufacturing in Lafayette, Colorado, with engineering, test, and integration capabilities for RAFTI hardware and refueling payloads. • International presence at the Harwell Space Campus (Oxfordshire, UK) supporting European customers and partnerships. Positioning and Strategy Orbit Fab positions itself as the propellant supplier for a multi‑vendor, multi‑orbit servicing ecosystem. Near‑term priorities include fielding hydrazine depots for GEO, maturing xenon/krypton services for electric‑propulsion customers, expanding RAFTI deliveries and licensing, and supporting government demonstrations that prove routine refueling for national‑security and commercial spacecraft.